Improvement in gun-oarriages



c. s. TYSON.

"Gun Carriage.

No. 78,030. I Pa tented May 19, 1868.

N, PETERS. FhclwLhhngrlpher. Wnhinglol D C.

CHARLES e -arson; or 0 1) POINT COMFORT, VIRGINIA.

Letters Patent No 78,030, dam-{Ma 19, 1 868.

IMPROVEMENT IN sun-essences,

"Lily Srhrhuie' Tricmh in in these icttcrsghtt itnnt mhingpntt at the same.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, CHARLES S. TYSON, of- Old Point Comforgin the county of Elizabcth City, and State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in'Gnn-Carriages, for taking up the recoil of heavy guns; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereom V The nature of my inveutionconsists in taking up the recoil of the gunby means of springs, running back between bars or other surfaces incliningtowards each other rearward, forminga wedge shaped space, in which the springs-move, so that the recoil force will encounter a'regularly-increasing resistance as the carriage runs back.

In the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 is a side elevation of .a gun-carriage to which my improvement'is applied! Figure 2 is a plan view of the same, with the upper transom-plate, which covers the springs, removed. I

Figure 3 is'a cross-section through the centre of the forward axle, showing the crank, E, which operates the links to spread thc'springs apart and draw them towards eachother, I A is the lower carriage or frame, which supports the gunsca rriage proper. This frame is constructed in the usual'manner, and is to be mounted on trucks, as heretofore. V

B B are two strong Wl'OllglltrllOfl bars,runningthe whole length of the carriage or frame A, and connected thereto, at the front and rear, b'ythe hurtcrs H. These bars are elevated alittle above the tracks on which the carriage-wheels W run, as 'will be seen by the drawings. Theirhpper, lower, and-outer sides are-parallel, but their inner sides incline towards each other,- rearward, as for hackasthe springs run." Two rails, A A", on the sides of the carriage, ofthe same dimensions, vertically,as the bars 13 8 work against said outer parallelsides of said bars, and the upper andlowcr parallel sides of said bars are embraced by andbetwcena cross-bar, G, on the rear end of the carriage,-.bolow the barsB B, and plates'yg'above them, also on the rear end of'the carriage. I

G Care two powerful springs, attached together byahinged-coupling,ffff.

D is a. transom-plate, firmly attached to the under sides of 'thoside-rails of the carriage-rails A A, and D (shown in fig, 3) is a similar transom-plate, attached .to the upper-sides of the same side-railsQ Thesetransomplates are of wrought iron, fiv'e-eighths ofan inch thick, an'd being secured firmly above and below the bars B B and the intermediate mechanism, hold the springs their hinged couplings, and slides in position,-so that no piece or part can get displaced.

I I are intermediate bars or slides, againstwhich the springs press. These are not made that to any other part of the machine, but are keptin place by the transom-plates, the studs J J, and the springs; They can be casily'takcn out and replaced by removing the upper transom, D". v i v J J are studs between-the sa'id transom-plates, D and D, and to which both o't' said plates are secured by screw-bolts. They prevent theintcrmediatc bars I Ivfrom going-too far forward.

Only the front carriage-wheels, W, are represented in-the drawing. The rear wheels, and their axles, beingmade and operating p'recisely as heretofore, and not being connected to any of'my improvements, it is deemed unnecessary to show them. 7 I I On the centre of the front axle there is a short crank, E, to which is pivoted a link-barge, and the rear end of this link-bar is pivoted to the centre of the'hinged coupling which connects the 'springs..

When the gun is in battery, and about to be discharged, (the springs and their coupling being in the position shown by the black lines in.fig. 2,) one-third ofa-revolutiohfhis. given to the axle by means of the manoeuvering-bars, which brings the crank, E, and link-bar c in line,--andi this also forces the hinged coupling ffff into a straight line, pressing the springs apart, as shown in the red lines, fig. 2. The springs are now in position to press upon the inclined bars B B, and so resist the recoil, as the carriage slides back, When the gun is to be run back into battery, a reverse motion of the axle, by means; of the m'anocuvering-hars, releases the springs, bringing. their coupling again, into the position shown by the black lines, fig. 2.

The pivot-boltsiiof the hinged coupling I extend above and below the coupling-bar, passing through slots in the transom-plates, in which they move as the springs are spread apart and drawn towards each other.

Every part of my improvement is made of strongwrought iron, and any piece can be easily taken out, and repaired or replaced, by the army-forge.

The use of my improvement involves no change whatever in the tactics fo in use, as prescribed by the Army Regulations, nor does it requireany new implements or change in the imple" ments heretofore used. Precisely the same movements of the" axle, by means of the manoeuvering-bars, whichraise and lower the carriage on the rails, will open and close the springs at the proper times.

If the springs and all other parts of my improvement are made sufliciently strong, the recoil of the heaviest gun, whatever may be the weight of projectile or charge of powder, will be so far checked before the carriage reaches the hurtcrs, that nb damage can result from its contact therewith.

It is manifest that considerable changes may be made in the construction of various parts of my improvement, without changing the principles of my invention.

Having thus fully describedmy invention, and its operation, Letters Patent, is-- r manmuvering the gun heretofore 1. A mechanism for taking up the recoil of heavy guns, consisting of a spring or springs working against ll be more and more compressed as the carriage or between inclined surfaces, so that the spring or'springs wi runs back, opposing a regularly-increasing resistance to the recoil force; substantially as described.

2. In combination with the springs C O, and the inclined bars B B, I claim the crank, E,;on the forward axle of the carriage, the link-bar c, and the hinged coupling of the springs, all constructed, arranged, and operating substantially as described. v

3. In combination with the inclined bars and springs, I claim the intermediate sliding bars I I, as and for the purpose set forth. 7 I

4. In combination with the side-rails of the carriage pressing against the outer sides of the bars B B, and the cross-bar G and plates g g pressing against the upper and lower sides of said bars, and the springs C C, I claim said barsB B, with their outer upper and lower sides parallel, and their inner sides inclined, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In combination with the inclined bars B B, springs, hinged coupling, and intermediate sliding bare, substantially as described, I claim the transom-plates D and D, to hold all the parts in place, as set forth and described;

In witness whereof, I have subscribed my name to the foregoing specification, this 25th day of October,

CHAS. S. TYSON.

Witnesses:

J. J. Gooiins, 'l. C. KENDALL.

what I claim as new, and desire to secure by 

